Where an exercise vehicle is adapted for translating leg powered motions of a seated operator to a rearward motion of the seat with respect to the vehicle, and thence to rotation of a drive wheel, such leg power may be advantageously routed through a variable ratio transmission having a high speed gear ratio. The provision and utilization of such a transmission advantageously allows the operator's most powerful muscles (i.e, the leg muscles) to impart a high speed to the vehicle.
Upon utilizing leg power to rearwardly drive such vehicle's seat, a needed next successive motion is an opposite forward driving or pulling motion exerted upon the seat. Typically, the operator utilizes his or her arms to pull herself and the seat forwardly. Such forward pulling motion may, in a fashion similar to the above described leg drive propulsion, be translated to the drive wheel for further forward propulsion of the vehicle. However, such operator's arms are typically much weaker than her legs, a selected high gear ratio which suitably accommodates rearward leg driving vehicle propulsion will often fail to suitably accommodate the opposite and reciprocating arm powered forward motion of the seat.
The lack of suitability of such high gear ratio for both leg driving and arm pulling vehicle propelling motions may interfere with and delay executions of each successive leg driving and vehicle propelling stroke, undesirably reducing the speed of the vehicle which may be maintained through a quick succession of leg driving motions. In order to prevent such undesirable effects, the instant inventive vehicle advantageously allows the arm powered forward seat returns to freely move or forwardly glide in an idler fashion without engaging the variable ratio transmission which is set for leg propulsion.
In contrast with the marked strength differential which exists between leg powered rearward seat driving and arm powered forward seat pulling, the operator's arms are typically capable of exerting roughly equal forces during arm powered pulling and pushing actions. In contrast with the above described undesirability of continuous drive transmission engagement during leg pushing and arm pulling motions, such continuous transmission engagement becomes desirable when the vehicle's muscle powered propulsion is provided by alternating pushing and pulling motions of the operator's arms. The gear ratio which accommodates vehicle propulsion through rearward arm powered pushing of the seat is typically roughly equal to a gear ratio which accommodates next successive arm powered pulling motions. Accordingly, a power transfer relationship different than that which optimizes alternating leg and arm powered motions is needed for accommodating the alternative exclusively arm powered pushing and pulling mode of operation.
The instant inventive leg and arm powered vehicle associates a specialized assembly of one way and idler sprockets with a reciprocatingly moveable seat for facilitating alternating leg and arm power exercise mode, and for alternatively facilitating exclusive arm powered pushing and pulling vehicle propelling exercise.